: Hi Maria, I don't even know how to begin to answer your post. It seems to complicated. I'm sorry for the bad news you got. First I'd like to say you can not have both OA and RA. It's impossible! Because one is a progression of the other and takes years for it to happen (RA). If you had RA you wouldn't be able to move or do anything. And you most definitely don't have osteoporosis. And let me get this correct, your Dentist told you all this????? It's a shame that the docstors you see make you upset for no reason at all. They have no right doing this to anyone.

: I find it laughable if your dentist told you all this. Even a doctor for that matter. If anything what you describe to people on the board is OA. And it's very treatable or at least managed. Arthiritis is indeed "wear and tear" on the bones but it doesn't have to progress if you take really good care of yourself. I'll e-mail you a wonderful product to take for this. A little costly but worth it. You can do a search of it on the internet when I send you the info.

: I've done a lot of reading on the back because of my problem and in doing so have learned quite a bit. I find it disgusting that a doctor would tell someone such things (And a dentist no doubt?). Please stop making yourself upset Maria. I've been were you are and like yourself not willing to accept what these "docs" are telling us. And we don't have too. Because what they are telling us is not true. You have to remember the number one reason docs don't want to answer our questions is because time is money for them. In another words the time your asking him/her to take to answer your questions he/she can be seeing someone else.(And therefore just hand us a brochure and "tell us there's nothing for it".) Which is BS. Do you know what I mean Maria? It's a shame we can't get them for medical malpractice. So please don't accept what they are telling you. It's not true. And it's not the way it has to be. It's only this "way" if you want to believe that that's the way it has to be.

: And everyone on this board wishes their was a spine fairy! Maybe some day! Be well and if you don't understand the info. I e-mail you please let me know.

Hi Fran, NO, NO, NO it wasnt my dentist who told me I have OA!!! LOL. I wouldnt' give up that easily if it were my dentist. I was my Primary care who told me that I have OA, and that she wants to run some blood test to rule out any other arthritis, including RA. She told my that their is no doubt I have OA on the spine, and that it is possible to have more than one type of arthritis. I asked when she suggested I have the blood test. I didnt understand why she wanted to do the test since she just told me what I had. Maybe you're right and she's insane who knows? You seem to know I had OA before I even had the bone density test done. My dentist is the one who told my PC that perhaps they should do some tests on my bones since her perfectly healthy strong teethe are just breaking in half, and she has so many discs on her spine with DDD. That's where the dentist came in.

I agree Fransesca, this is all BS. I'm so tired of docs telling me I have to live with it. Well, I am living with it, and I dont' want to. If I wanted to live with it I would just stay home, go once a month to refill my prescriptions, and wait for time to pass so that I can slowly deteriorate. I don't know what is my next step. I just know I have to get out of this mood I'm in, and move my a#@ out there again. I'm just soooo tired.....

Well, I just wanted to clear it up with you that it was not my dentest who diagnosed me with OA. Thanks for writing Fran.